Vacuum-cleaner.



G. S. BENNETT.

VACUUM CLEANER.

APPLICATION rum) MAY 22,1909

Patented June 30, 1914.

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G. S. BENNETT.

VACUUM CLEANER.

APPLIUATIQN FILED MAY 22,1909. 1,102, 130. Patented June 30,191L

BSHEIJTS-SHEET 2.

G. S. BENNETT.

VACUUM CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1009 3 BHEET8-SHEET 3.

George 5. 5 91111611, by.

GEORGE S. BENNETT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

VACUUM-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1914.

Application filed May 22, 1909. Serial No. 497,627.

' and State of California, have invented a new and useful Vacuum-Cleaner, of which the following is a specification in such 'full and clear terms as will enable those skilled in the art to construct and use the same.

This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner used for the purpose of taking up the dust from floors, and household furnishings of all kinds.

An object of the invention is to produce a wheeled machine which may be operated over a floor without a hose tool for the purpose of picking up the dust from clear floors,

while a. hose may be attached to the machine for cleaning furniture, curtains or inaccessible places.

In the drawings, in which the same numeral of reference is applied to the same portion throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a. plan view of the cleaner, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the cleaner, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cleaner showing the casing which covers the motor, Fig.' 1 is a vertical sectional view of the cleaning tool carried by the fan onthe line l4 of Fig. 1, Fig. 5

is a view of the valve used for changing the air current from the tool on the machine to a tool on a hose which may be attached to the fan casing. Fig. 6 is a veitical section through the handle, the fan case and nozzle of the machine, the motor not being shown in section.

The numeral 1 is applied to the frame to which the motor M is secured, said frame be ing U shaped and being secured to the casing of the fan. by means of bolts 2. The frame of the motor has holes drilled in it into which the screws 3 are secured, and

vhich screws hold the U frame to the motor body.

The casing 4 of the fan is of a common form, the air discharge 5 being toward the motor side of the fan, said discharge having the corners cut off to provide projections whereby a dust collecting sack may be secured to the fan casing and be prevented from being blown off, astring being tied around the sack and the discharge.

A tubular handle 6 is secured to the frame 1 said handle being in two parts, one, 7 sliding into the other 8, a threaded socket 9 being provided for thepurpose of securing the portion 7 in any desired position. The

handle is adjustable in length by sliding the tube 7 into or out of the tube 8, and is secured in any given position by tightening the socket- 9 which causes the tube 8 to frictionally engage the tube 7 so tightly as to prevent any relative motion of the two tubes. enou h of the inner portion 7 always being left 111 the portion 8 to insure the proper securing of the parts. The handle is also used for the purpose of leadingiin the supply wires 10 for the motor.

The front plate 1.1 of the fan-casing has a flanged central opening formed by a tubular extension 11 of the front plate and within which is mounted a rotary hollow tubular member 12, the walls of said member cooperating with the flanged opening in the plate 11, to form a chamber intermediate the fan-casing and the suction tool. The inner end 14 of said tubular member is cutaway, as shown at 14". and constitutes a rotary valve sothat when it is turned to register with the duct 13, the tool is in com munication with the intermediate chamber leadin to the fan-casing and when the valve 1s turned through an angle of 180 into the reverse position, communication with the duct 13 leading to the tool is cut oil. When said rotary member 12 is turned as just mentioned, the cap 16 may be removed, thereby opening the outcr end 15 of the tubular member which then forms an inlet pipe which may be. connected as desired and through which the air will be drawn by the fan. When it is desired to use the tool on the fan casing, the valve 12 is rotated so that the recess 14' is below and adjacent the duct 13, the cap 16 being placed over the end of the pipe 15 to cause all the air to enter the fan through the tool on the casing.

The duct 13 in the fan casing plate 11 leads down nearly to the bottom of said plate, a projection on said plate having a seat 17 which is a litt e more than semicylindrical. This seat 17 is adapted to receive the tool 18, a partly cylindrical portion thereof sliding into the seat 17, and since it is substantially the same in size it makes a close jointwith said seat, whereby the air will all be compelled to pass into the fan casing through the tool 18. The tool is held in place in the seat 17 by means of a plate 19 at each end of said seat the plates being secured in position after the the object of said hole being to afford means the axis 'of the tool and the axis of the will.

sons and vice versa.

tool has been placed in said seat. In the sectional view it will be noted that the end of the tool 18 is provided with a hole 18,

whereby the short axles 21 on which the wheels 22 turn may be secured to the tool,

wheels being the same. The movement of the tool in the seat above described is sufficient for all ordinary angles at which the handle will be held by a person when using the cleaner, and since the handle 6 is adjustable the amount of necessary movement of the tool is reduced since a short person will use the handle shorter than tall per- It will be noted that if the mouth of the tool sat down squarely on the carpet all sides of it would touch the carpet and the only way the air could reach the fan wouldbe through the carpet. While this would clean the carpet it is necessary to provide means whereby more air may pass to the fan than could pass through the carpet, and this means is a removableblade 23, said blade being wide enough to project below the lower edge of the cleaning tool a small distance, The blade is placed in a groove in the tool, a spring 24 being provided to bear on the tool atv each end thereof whereby the blade may beremoved or replaced at The blade has another function in that it agitates the nap of the carpet as the cleaner is moved forward. The result of this action is that small quantities of dust are thus forcibly rojected from the carpet surface and the air at once takes them into the fan casing and to the dust collecting bag.

In order that the motor may not be exposed to' view and liable to injury by the collection of dust in its various parts a casing C is slipped over the handle said casing being secured to the frame which supports the motor in any suitableimanner.

Having thus described my invention what claim as new and desire to secure by'Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, aframe, a motor secured in said frame, a fan driven by the motor and also secured in the-frame, a movable suction tool secured to a removable plate in front of the fan, wheels supporting the fan and having substantially the same axis as the movable tool, a blade carried by said tool projecting below the face there of and adapted to disturb the nap of a carpetas the tool is passed thereover, and a handle secured to said frame and which-is adapted to hold said frame in an inclined position when held in the hand, as set forth.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, aframe, a motor secured to the frame, a fan secured to the ed when the handle is raised off the floor, as

motor shaft and driven by the motor, a removable plate-on the front of the fan cas- 1 ing and having an eye at its center and a, duct leading nearly to the bottom of the plate, a tool movably secured to the plate adjacent the lower end of said duct, a handle secured to the frame adapted to tilt the motor and fan into the desired angle with relation to the floor when held by a person and a pair of wheels in front of said fan upon which the fan and motor are supportset forth,

3. A vacuum cleaner, comprising a casing, a fan revolubly mounted therein, said casing having an opening in axial alinement with said fan, a removable cover plate for the openin secured to the casing, a suction tool secured to and projecting below said plate, a frame secured to said casing, a motor carried by said frame and connected tosaid fan, and a handle operatively secured to the cleaner.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a fan casing, a pivoted suction tool secured to the lower portion of said fan casing, wheels to support said fan casing, said wheels being journaled upon the same axis with said tool between the mouth'of said tool and said fan casing, a fan in said casing, a motor secured to said fan, a frame to which said motor is secured, and a handle secured to said frame and extending away from said fan casing, substantially as set forth.

- 5. A vacuum cleaner, comprising a casing a fan revolubly mounted therein, said casing having an opening in axial alinelnent' with said fan, a cover plate extending over said opening and removably secured to said casing, said plate being provided with a tubular extension formlng a recess or chamber in direct axial alinement with said fan and a separable closure member for said chamber, a suction-tool carried by said plate, sald tubular extension being provided with a port connecting said tool and said chamber, and a valve in said chamber controlling said port.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, a fan. casing having an inlet port and an exhaust port, a fan operative within the casing, a motor directly secured to said fan, means for supporting said motor in said casing, a removable plate secured to the inlet side of the casing, said plate being provided with a valve chamber. in communication. with said fan casing, a suction tool-carried by said plate and communicatinfg with sai casing through said chamber, a tubular valve in said chamber for controlling the communication between the tool and the casing, and having .a removable closure at the outer vend of said chamber adapted tobe removed when the valve is in a closed positionto permit said valve to serve as an inlet pipe.

7. In a vacuum cleaner, 5;,- fan. casing, a

fan rotatablewithin said casing, a motor mounted upon said casing, a suction tool secured to said casing and out of alinement with the axis of rotation of said fan and motor, a valve chamber intermediate said fan casing and said suction tool and in axial alinement with said fan and forming a communication therebetween, a tubular valve located in said chamber and controlling said means of communication, and a removable closure cap for said chamber adapted to be removed when the valve is in closed position.

8. A vacuum cleaner, comprising a casing, a fan revolubly mounted therein, said casin having an opening in axial alinement wit 1 said fan, a cover plate extending over said opening and removably secured to said casing, said plate being provided with a tubular extension formin a recess or chamber and having a removable cap or closure and a suction tool carried by said plate communicating with said chamber.

9. A vacuum cleaner, com rising a casing, a fan revolubly mounted herein, a motor secured to said casing, said casing having an opening in axial alinement with said fan, a suction tool carried by said casing and out of alinement with the ar is of rotation of said fan, said casing having a tubular extension, said tool being in communication with the tubular extension, said extension being 1 \vided with an opening in substantial alinement with said fan, a removable closure for said opening, and means for closing the communication through said tool.

In testimony whereof I have set my hand this 5" day of May A. D. 1909, in the presence of the two subscribed witnesses.

G. S. BENNETT.

Witnesses C. P. GRIFFIN, J OHN R, Trmmnn. 

